Protection case for electronic device

ABSTRACT

A protection case for protecting an electronic device includes a body shaped to receive and hold to the electronic device, and a cover. A space is formed between the cover and the body, and an opening is defined in the cover. A lanyard passes through the opening and is partly received in the space, and an elastic element is accommodated in the space. The lanyard includes a first end fixed to the protection case, and a second end connected to the lanyard.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to accessories of electronic device, particularly to a protection case for an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

The development of electronic devices has dramatically increased over the past decade, resulting in many new genres of battery-powered products such as so-called “smart phones,” or electronic readers. All such devices are relatively lightweight and portable, owing to the miniaturization of electronic components and circuitry. As opposed to carrying the phones in pockets, many people today use lanyards or cords to keep their phones in close proximity so that they may answer calls quickly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a protection case in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the protection case shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line III-III.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a button of the protection case of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.

The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like.

The present disclosure is described in relation to a protection case for an electronic device including a body shaped to receive and hold the electronic device, and a cover. A space is defined between the cover and the body, and an opening is defined in the cover. A lanyard passes through the opening and is partly received in the space, and an elastic element is accommodated in the space. The lanyard includes a first end fixed to the protection case, and a second end connecting to the lanyard.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a protection case 100 for protecting an electronic device (not shown). The protection case 100 includes a body 10 and a lanyard 40. The lanyard 40 can be substantially circular in shape and can be elastic, although it does not need to be elastic. The body 10 is shaped to receive the electronic device. The body 10 includes a base panel 11 and a number of first side walls 12 surrounding and connected to the base panel 11, thereby forming a first space 13. The electronic device can be held in the first space 13. In this embodiment, the body 10 is substantially rectangular shaped, and includes four first side walls 12. At least one aperture 15 is defined in at least one of the first side walls 12 of the protection case 100. The at least one aperture 21 is configured to receive at least one button (not shown) of the electronic device. In an embodiment, the base panel 11 and the first side walls 12 are integrally formed together via an injection molding process.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the protection case 100 further includes a cover 30 coupled to an exterior periphery of the body 10. A second space 33 is formed between the cover 30 and the base panel 11.

In this embodiment, the second space 33 and the first space 13 are respectively located at two opposite sides of the base panel 11. In other embodiments, the second space 33 and the first space 13 can be respectively located at two opposite sides of one of the first side walls 12.

In this embodiment, the cover 30 is also substantially rectangular shaped corresponding to the body 10, and the cover 30 includes a panel 31 and a number of second side walls 32 surrounding and connected to the panel 31. The second side walls 32 are attached to the base panel 11. The second space 33 is surrounded by the panel 31, the second side walls 32 and the base panel 11.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate that the protection case 100 further includes a coil spring 50, a button 60 and an elastic portion 70. The coil spring 50 is accommodated in the second space 33, the coil spring 50 includes a first end 51 located at a center of the coil spring 50, and a second end 52 located at a circumference of the coil spring 50. A fixing portion 34 is arranged on a surface 311 of the panel 31; the first end 51 of the coil spring 50 is fixed to the fixing portion 34. In this embodiment, the fixing portion 34 is a protrusion or a boss.

At least one opening 321 is defined in the second side wall 32, one end of the lanyard 40 passes through the opening 321 and is fastened to the second end 52 of the coil spring 50, the another end of the lanyard 40 is kept out of the protection case 100.

In this embodiment, two openings 321 are defined in one second side wall 32, the lanyard 40 is substantially circular formed by a cord connected head to tail. The head and the tail of the lanyard 40 pass through the two openings 321 respectively, and both are fastened to the second end 52 of the coil spring 50, to form a loop. In another manner, when the head and the tail of the lanyard 40 respectively pass through the two openings 321, the head of the lanyard 40 can be tied to the tail of the lanyard 40, then connect to the second end 52 of the coil spring 50 to finish the assembly.

FIG. 4 illustrates a button 60 of the protection case 100. The button 60 includes a button body 61 and a stopper portion 62, the diameter of the button body 61 is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 35; the diameter of the stopper portion 62 is larger than the diameter of the through hole 35. The button body 61 includes a third end 611 and a fourth end 612 opposite to the first end 51. The stopper portion 62 is connected to the fourth end 612. In this embodiment, the button body 61 is substantially cylinder shaped, and the stopper portion 62 is a flange extending from the fourth end 612. In other embodiments, the stopper portion 62 can be a protrusion protruding from a lateral surface of the fourth end 612.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate that a through hole 35 is arranged adjacent to the opening 321 on the panel 31 of the cover 30. The button 60 is accommodated in the second space 33, and the third end 611 of the button extends out of the protection case 100 in part, via the through hole 35. The stopper portion 62 is configured to stop the button 60 from dropping out of the through hole 35. In details, because of the diameter of the stopper portion 62 is larger than the diameter of the through hole 35, the stopper portion 62 prevents the button 60 from dropping out of the through hole 35.

The elastic portion 70 is held between the button 60 and the body 10. In this embodiment, the elastic portion 70 is a spring with an end resisting the button 60 and another end resisting the body 10. The button 60 further includes a recess 63 defined in the fourth end 612 to receive the spring 70.

The lanyard 40 is sandwiched between the stopper portion 62 and the surface 311 of the panel 31. In this embodiment, the lanyard 40 is circular, and the button body 61 is arranged in the loop formed by the lanyard 40.

Usually, when the lanyard 40 is unused, most of the lanyard 40 is received in the second space 33 under the force of the coiling spring 50.

When the button 60 is pressed, the space between the stopper portion 62 and the surface 311 of the cover 30 is increased, therefore the lanyard 40 is released. The lanyard 40 can be pulled to extend out of the protection case 100, and the coil spring 35 is stretched. When the force applied on the button 60 is removed, the stopper portion 62 moves toward to the surface 311 of the cover 30 under restoring force of the elastic portion 70 to sandwich the lanyard 40 again. User can get an appropriate length of the lanyard 40 via pressing the button 60 and lock the lanyard 40 by releasing the button 40.

When the button 60 is pressed as the coil spring 35 is being stretched; most of the lanyard 40 is automatically drawn into the second space 33.

In other embodiments, the coil spring 50 can be other elastic elements, such as a cylindrical helical spring having an end fixed on the protection case 100 and another end connected to the lanyard 40.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a protection case. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A protection case for protecting an electronic device comprising: a body shaped to removably accept the electronic device; a cover coupled to the body, the cover and the body defining a space therebetween; the cover having an opening defined therethrough; a lanyard passing through the opening and partially received in the space; and an elastic element accommodated in the space and comprising a first end fixed to the protection case and a second end connected to the lanyard.
 2. The protection case of claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a coiling spring, the first end is located at a center of the coiling spring, and the second end is located at a circumference of the coiling spring.
 3. The protection case of claim 2, wherein a fixing portion is arranged on a surface of the panel configured to fix the first end of the coiling spring.
 4. The protection case of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a panel and a plurality of side walls surrounding and connected to the panel, the space is surrounded by the panel, the side walls and the body, the opening is defined in the side wall.
 5. The protection case of claim 4, wherein the number of the opening is two, two openings are defined in one of the side walls, a head and a tail of the lanyard respectively pass through the two openings and connected together to form a circular shaped lanyard.
 6. The protection case of claim 5, wherein the head and the tail of the lanyard are fastened to the second end of the elastic element.
 7. The protection case of claim 1, further comprising a button, and a through hole defined in the cover, wherein the button comprises a button body partly passing through the through hole and a stopper portion configured to prevent the button dropping out of the through hole, a elastic portion is resisted between the button and the body, the button configured to transition between a released configuration in which the lanyard is locked between the stopper portion and the cover, and a pressed configuration in which the lanyard is released.
 8. The protection case of claim 7, wherein a recess is defined in the button to receive the elastic portion.
 9. The protection case of claim 7, wherein stopper portion is a flange extend from an end of the button body. 